On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, hosts Quint Studer and Dan Collard are joined by special guests Nick Porter and Tracy Jansen to announce the formation of the Post-Acute Leadership Institute (PALI), a leadership development program designed to help post-acute organizations and leaders succeed.

Tracy and Nick are both founding members and executives of the Post-Acute Executive HR Roundtable, a national network of peers who come together to share best-practices, vendor management solutions, and ideas around leveraging a new digital experience for HR professionals. The Roundtable has joined forces with Healthcare Plus Solutions Group, co-founded by Quint and Dan, to launch this new initiative and bring much needed leader development solutions to both their member organizations and the broader post-acute industry.

In this 30-minute episode, you’ll learn more about:

• Challenges facing post-acute leaders both pre- and post-pandemic and the critical need for specialized leadership development to tackle staffing shortages
• The newly published book, “Rewiring Leadership in Post-Acute Healthcare” authored by Quint Studer and Dan Collard with input from post-acute industry leaders
•  The launch of the Post-Acute Leadership Institute (PALI), kicking off July 2024, to help leaders navigate the complexities of the post-acute care environment and achieve improved outcomes

To learn more about the Post-Acute Leadership Institute or order your copy of “Rewiring Leadership in Post-Acute Healthcare”, visit www.thePALI.org or contact info@thePALI.org.

About Tracy Jansen

Tracy Jansen, SPHR is the Chief Executive Officer of GIGCS, LLC, an executive search firm specialized in serving the post-acute industry and the Chief Operating Officer of the Post-Acute Executive HR Roundtable. Over the past 20 years, she served in the industry as Chief Human Resources Officer for Signature HealthCare, Consulate Healthcare and Golden Living. She is a purpose driven, faith forward, solution focused HR and operations executive with an expertise in strategic planning, operations management, mergers and acquisitions, leadership development, talent acquisition and culture building.

Tracy strives to fulfill her purpose by using her business acumen, empathy and influence to continually serve our most vulnerable population and bring executives together to forge new pathways to greater quality of life for all.

About Nick Porter

Nick Porter is the President of Premier Workforce Solutions and has been serving the post-acute industry for more than ten years. After a decade of effectively leading hospitals and long-term care organizations through successful large-scale transformations in the benefits, compensation, and employee total rewards space, Mr. Porter formed Premier Workforce Solutions, LLC. Premier Workforce Solutions is an innovative HR Consulting Firm that delivers customized, affordable, integrated HR solutions specializing in the post-acute industry.

In January 2023, Mr. Porter expanded as CEO and Co-Owner of the Executive Roundtable, LLC. The Roundtable’s mission is to expand Executive HR leadership proficiency and value-add throughout the Post-Acute Care Continuum by providing access to a national network of peers, for exploration of best practices, real-time information sharing, and vendor management.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer is joined by Mark Slyter, a senior healthcare executive who creates and executes breakthrough strategies that revitalize organizations at an accelerated pace. Currently, Mark works for CommonSpirit Health and serves as President and CEO of Dignity Health’s Arizona East Valley Market, where he oversees several large hospitals and urgent care centers.

Mark discusses his approach to improving healthcare outcomes by reinforcing their culture with “Excellence Every Day, Every Way”, which focuses on establishing consistent behaviors, investing in innovation, and enhancing effective communication. Thus far, this has resulted in significant improvements in patient safety, experience, employee engagement, and financial performance.

Mark shares specific strategies he has leveraged, such as using technology to improve patient communication and implementing care coaches on units. He also emphasizes the importance of making investments in these initiatives, rather than viewing them as expenses. Quint highlights the importance of combining technology with personal relationships to improve outcomes and shares solutions for creating consistent messaging throughout hospitals to improve branding and recognition and tie your values to patient experience.

Mark encourages other healthcare leads to reach out to him for more information by connecting with him on LinkedIn.

About Mark Slyter

During Mark Slyter’s 25-year career, he has achieved progressive healthcare experience at leading health systems and hospitals including Dignity Health, Phoenix, AZ, General Health System, Baton Rouge, LA, Mississippi Baptist Health Systems, Jackson, MS, Baptist Health System, Jacksonville, FL, and Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, SC.  Mark has a traditional career progression as the executive operations leader in small (56-bed), medium (146-bed), and large (651 bed) hospitals, including ACS Level I Trauma, and then advancing to serve as the CEO in multi-hospital, tertiary, and academic health systems. Mark has developed and led statewide Integrated Delivery Networks as large as 9,000 physicians, 200 facilities, 72,000 commercial lives, and 270,000 Medicaid lives.

The importance of evidence-based leadership has inspired Mark to achieve his Doctorate in Health Services and position health systems for more complex, comprehensive care through academic programs. Mark has led both start-up academic medical centers (124 residents) and established major teaching hospitals that annually train more than 500 medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, technologists, and other healthcare professionals.

On this episode of the Healthcare Plus Podcast, Dan Collard talks with Quint Studer and Katherine Meese, PhD about their newly co-authored book, The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust, which will be published in March by Health Administration Press (ACHE). Dr. Meese discusses her research on creating an optimal work environment for healthcare professionals and highlights the importance of trust in senior leadership to foster a positive workplace culture.

Quint and Katherine share new insights and solutions on:

• Ways to improve well-being in the workforce and create employee flourishing
• Factors that contribute to trust building from individuals and teams to middle management and senior leadership
• The relationship between safety, communication, and trust in promoting healthy organizational cultures

Katherine and Quint will be sharing their new research and speaking in more detail on this topic at the upcoming 2024 ACHE Congress on March 26th from 9:00-10:30 am. Attendees can register for their session at https://congress.ache.org/.

The Human Margin is now available for pre-order at this link.

About Dr. Katherine Meese

With over a decade of experience in healthcare management, leadership and research, Dr. Katherine Meese is a scholar in the field of organizational behavior, leadership and well-being. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Services Administration and the Director of Research at the UAB Medicine Office of Wellness, where she oversees the evaluation of evidence-based interventions to improve the health and well-being of healthcare workers.

She teaches and mentors students in UAB’s many programs, including the MSHA program, which is ranked #1 in the USA by U.S. News and World Report. She has co-authored two textbooks on organizational behavior in healthcare, and over 30 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. Her most recent book, The Human Margin: Building the Foundations of Trust with Quint Studer was released in early 2024.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer welcomes special guest David Bartholomew to highlight the upcoming 2024 ACHE Congress: Big Ideas. David is the Senior Vice President of Learning at the American College of Healthcare Executives, a professional society for healthcare leaders committed to improving health. This year, the ACHE Congress will welcome more than 5,000 attendees from across the industry to address workforce concerns in healthcare leadership.

Quint and David highlight the diversity of both attendees and speakers at the conference, as well as the enthusiasm and collaboration among participants. Sessions will cover a broad range of topics from AI and innovative technologies to prioritizing patient centered care to private equity investment in healthcare.

Quint will be joining the conference on Tuesday, March 26th to discuss “The Human Margin: What It Means, Why It Matters, and How to Maximize It” with fellow HPSG Co-Founder, Dan Collard, and respected researcher, Katherine A. Meese, PhD.

For additional information on the conference and ACHE’s educational programs, visit www.ache.org.

About David Bartholomew

David Bartholomew is a lifelong advocate for health professionals and international education.  David is the Senior Vice President, Learning at the American College of Healthcare Executives in Chicago.  The role encompasses oversight of ACHE’s Professional Development and Publishing activities, including the Congress on Healthcare Leadership.

David Bartholomew assumed the role of Senior Vice President of Learning with the American College of Healthcare Executives in January 2019.  In this capacity David is tasked to drive the strategic direction for ACHE Learning and oversee the design and development of new learning modalities for ACHE including virtual, face-to-face, and hybrid learning approaches across the Learning portfolio.  Prior to ACHE, David worked for more than 20 years in strategic roles related to healthcare licensure education and publishing.

David holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in International Affairs from the University of Kentucky Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce.   David serves as a Board member for CAHME, the Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer hosts special guest Dan Gentry, President and CEO of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). AUPHA is a global network of colleges, universities, faculty, individuals, and organizations dedicated to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery through excellence in healthcare management and policy education.

In their conversation, Dan and Quint emphasize the importance of learning and independent growth for healthcare leaders and discuss the correlation between skill development, engagement, and turnover in organizations. Dan highlights the importance of offering leadership education and resources to train great students to go out and lead in healthcare organizations that provide wonderful care to patients and families. Dan also highlights the benefits of participating in AUPHA’s available programs, including the Art of Teaching Institute, which seeks to enhance teaching skills in healthcare organizations.

For those interested in learning more about AUPHA membership, programs, or awards, please contact Dan Gentry (dgentry@aupha.org) or visit aupha.org.

About Dan Gentry

Dan Gentry is President & CEO of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA). Between 1994 and 2020, he served as faculty and in a variety of academic leadership roles at Saint Louis University, Rush University, the University of Memphis, and the University of Iowa.

Dan has taught in the areas of healthcare organization and policy, organizational behavior and management, and leadership. His research has included the financing, organization, and delivery of health services; tobacco, obesity, and HIV policy; the patient experience; and, transitioning healthcare organizations from volume to value.

Dan has served in the leadership of regional ACHE Chapters in Missouri, Tennessee, and Iowa, and as Chair of ACHE’s LGBTQ Forum. He is a current member of ACHE, NAHSE, and NALHE. Dan is a past Fellow, Board Member,and Board Chair of CAHME; and, a past and current AUPHA Board Member.

Dan earned his BA from the College of Charleston, MHA from the Medical University of South Carolina, and PhD in Health Services & Policy Analysis from the University of California, Berkeley.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Crystal Broj

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer welcomes special guest Crystal Broj, Enterprise Chief Digital Transformation Officer at MUSC Health. Since joining the MUSC leadership team in 2022, Crystal has worked to revolutionize MUSC’s healthcare processes and accelerate the delivery of products, solutions, and services to their patient population.

Crystal shares how MUSC is leveraging AI technology to personalize patient care, optimize efficiency through automation, and reduce the burden on healthcare providers. From automated scribes to virtual consultations to fast-pass scheduling, MUSC is finding new ways to transform the patient experience while also prioritizing relationships between doctors and patients.

Quint and Crystal also discuss the importance of operational trials before implementing new technologies enterprise-wide. Crystal believes that collecting user feedback and including physicians in the implementation process is the key to gaining organizational buy-in.

For more information, Crystal invites listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn or send her a direct email at brojc@musc.edu.

About Crystal Broj

Crystal Broj is the Enterprise Chief Digital Transformation Officer for MUSC, starting in 2022.  Previously, Crystal served as the AVP for Digital Strategy & Transformation for NorthShore University Health System and Chief Technology & Innovation Officer for American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE).   In her current role, she is responsible for driving and accelerating the Digital Transformation Strategy and overseeing the delivery of products, solutions, and services out of the Transformation Pipeline, delivering optimal value for the MUSC platform ecosystem, healthcare systems and healthcare consumers.  Her time at NorthShore focused on the digital front door including a new mobile wrapper app and at AADE building an award-winning website, which was a one-stop shop for all diabetes devices and education.  Crystal earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Illinois University. Originally a native from Chicago, she now enjoys low country living in Charleston.

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer hosts special guest Dr. David Grenache, Chief Scientific Officer of TriCore Reference Laboratories. Quint and David discuss how to replicate best practices, both in leadership and in medicine. Dr. Grenache shares examples of where he’s driven change through the implementation of best practices and how he guided his team through those transformations.

In their conversation, Dr. Grenache also shares valuable insights on:

• The critical role laboratory professionals play in predictive and preventative care
• The role of AI in healthcare
• And the importance of leveraging tools and insights from laboratory data to impact population health

About David G. Grenache, PhD

Dr. Grenache is the chief scientific officer for TriCore Reference Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In that role, he leads the TriCore Research Institute which helps to innovate healthcare through cutting-edge clinical device trials, advanced central lab services, and a sample biorepository.

He is also the laboratory director of TriCore’s flagship core laboratory, the medical director of immunology and of point-of-care testing, and a clinical professor of pathology at the University of New Mexico. He is a past president of the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine, formerly known as the American Association for Clinical Chemistry. His term as president coincided with the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 and, as such, he helped lead the association through a period of turbulence and uncertainty.

Dr. Grenache earned his PhD in biomedical sciences from WPI in Worcester, Massachusetts, and completed postdoctoral training in clinical chemistry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He has published over 100 research articles, abstracts, and book chapters and is frequently invited to speak at scientific meetings.

His research interests are centered on leveraging longitudinal laboratory data to gain insights into individual and population health and the diagnostic tests used to manage the pregnant patient.

In this engaging episode of the Healthcare Plus podcast, host Dan Collard welcomes Marty Bonick, president and CEO of Ardent Health Services, as they delve into Marty’s extensive background in healthcare leadership and his unique perspective as a patient. Marty’s journey comes full circle as he shares his experiences as an administrative fellow, junior administrator, and now CEO of Ardent.

The conversation highlights the importance of trust in leadership and coordination of care in the post-pandemic world. Marty believes that when we recognize and appreciate what each team member brings to the table, we can bring our best to the patients and the community. He also emphasizes the need for a balanced scorecard approach and the measurement of outcomes to drive continuous improvement.

Marty’s personal experience as a patient, resulting from a freak accident where he was hit by a car while training for an ironman race, provides a profound shift in his leadership approach. He emphasizes the significance of understanding the patient experience and the need to make meaningful changes in healthcare delivery. Marty and his team at Ardent have launched initiatives such as the “Ban the Clipboard” committee, focusing on enhancing patient interactions and streamlining administrative processes.

The conversation further explores Marty’s vision for innovation and patient engagement, including attracting and engaging patients through technology advancements such as virtual nursing. Marty’s passion for creating an environment where healthcare professionals feel valued and appreciated shines through, as he emphasizes the importance of the “people pillar” and showcasing the unique contributions of Ardent team members.

The podcast episode concludes with Marty’s advice to aspiring healthcare leaders, emphasizing the importance of integrity, commitment to the triple aim, and resisting the temptation to cut corners. Marty’s journey serves as an inspiration for leaders in the healthcare industry to prioritize patient-centered care and continuously strive for improvement.

About Marty Bonick

Marty Bonick is President and Chief Executive Officer of Ardent Health Services. Ardent is one of the largest private health systems in the U.S. with over $5 Billion in Net Revenue, encompassing 30 hospitals and more than 200 sites of care across six states. Ardent employs more than 23,000 people including over 1,200 employed providers who collectively care for over 3 million patient encounters each year.

A veteran health care leader, Mr. Bonick brings 25 years of experience driving business growth through innovation and quality improvement across a variety of health care settings. With experience in for-profit, non-profit, public, and privately held companies, he has held senior management roles in large tertiary and academic medical centers, multi-site systems of inpatient hospital and outpatient facilities, and physician services organizations.

Prior to his appointment as President and CEO of Ardent Health Services in 2020, Mr. Bonick served as CEO of PhyMed Healthcare Group, a national provider of anesthesia and pain management services; Division President at Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH), where he led operations for a $4.5 billion healthcare portfolio; and CEO of Jewish Hospital and Senior Vice President of Operations for Jewish Hospital & St. Mary’s Healthcare in Louisville, Kentucky. Mr. Bonick began his health care career at Hillcrest HealthCare System in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was acquired by Ardent Health Services during his tenure.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Mark Clement

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, host Quint Studer is joined by TriHealth CEO, Mark Clement. In 2015, TriHealth’s board, management team, and physician team embraced a bold vision to “get healthcare right” through an increased focus on population health and value-based care. Mark and his teams are committed to improving the health of the entire community, even for those individuals that may never receive care in a TriHealth hospital. Through their efforts and community partnerships, TriHealth’s patient population today is objectively healthier – chronic conditions are better managed, screening and early detection occurs more consistently, and the total cost of care is more affordable.

In their conversation, Quint and Mark discuss:

• TriHealth’s definition of value-based care
• How TriHealth included physicians in the shift towards value-based care and how they’re shaping a shared vision of the organization’s future
• How TriHealth has worked to form equitable, collaborative partnerships with payers to further their mission of delivering value-based care

About Mark Clement

Mark C. Clement is the President and Chief Executive Officer of TriHealth. He joined TriHealth as President in May of 2015 and took on the larger role of President and CEO in Jan 2016. TriHealth is a $2.1B integrated healthcare delivery system, made up of 6 hospitals and over 140 ambulatory/outpatient sites of care. Named as the highest performing Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in the state of Ohio and one of the highest performing ACOs in the country by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, TriHealth cares for more than 500,000 attributed lives. As Cincinnati’s 4th-largest employer, TriHealth has 12,000 team members, more than 700 employed physicians and an independent medical staff of more than 1,800 physicians.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and jointly sponsored by CommonSpirit Health and Bethesda, Inc., TriHealth’s vision is to work together with physicians, hospitals and communities to “get health care right” by delivering better care, better health and better value while fostering physician and team member engagement. Mark also holds the position of CEO at all of TriHealth’s hospitals: Good Samaritan Hospital, Bethesda North Hospital, Bethesda Butler Hospital and McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, which all serve the Tri-State region of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. With a focus on population health and improving the health status of those it serves, TriHealth is an award winning health system frequently recognized by industry organizations such as U.S. News and World Reports, Newsweek, IBM Watson, Diversity Inc, The Joint Commission, the American Heart Association, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and many more.

Hosted by Quint Studer with special guest Thomas Dahlborg

On this episode of The Healthcare Plus Podcast, Quint Studer is joined by special guest Thomas Dahlborg, award-winning author of “From Heart to Head & Back Again: A Journey Through the Healthcare System” and President and CEO of Dahlborg HealthCARING Leadership Group, LLC (DHLG). Quint and Tom discuss why patient experience scores have been stagnant despite continued investment and offer practical tools and tips to help healthcare leaders achieve measurable results.

Tom Dahlborg has worked in the healthcare industry for more than 40 years in roles ranging from housekeeper to Chief Financial Officer. This background, in addition to his own experience as a patient, has allowed him to see healthcare through numerous lenses and to recognize both the goodness in the system as well as the opportunities to make things better for others.

Tom believes that engaging heart, compassion, empathy, and love is the key to shifting the trend and improving patient experiences. From cutting back on measurement to rethinking financial incentives, listeners will walk away from the episode with actionable insights on how to refocus patient experience efforts in your organization.

About Thomas Dahlborg

Named a Healthcare Disruptor and a Mental Health Champion by Authority Magazine and a Ruckus Maker by The PX Community, with forty years of extensive healthcare leadership experience, Tom is a voice for love centered care models, servant leadership, and quality and systems improvement.

A former healthcare CFO, VP of Strategy, Analytics Leader, Value-Based (before it was called that) Contracting Leader, and more, Tom is also an internationally recognized speaker and writer.

Tom’s multiple award-winning book, From Heart to Head & Back Again … a journey through the healthcare system, is a call to action serving to bring people together to make a positive impact for others in healthcare and beyond and served as a 2021 AUPHA book award for healthcare leaders of tomorrow.

Tom brings practical, tangible, impactful tools married with love, compassion and caring to transform healthcare to healthCARING and to improve the health and well-being of all.

Tom believes at the end of the day it is all about Love and Impact – Love is the Force Multiplier – and sometimes you must disrupt the system for the betterment of all. 

Resources

Harley Davidson Completes Rewiring of Strategic Plan

Dahlborg HealthCARING Leadership Group

• Article: It is disheartening to read that health systems require financial incentives to do what is right
• Article: Love > Tactics to improve Patient Experience

Rewiring Excellence: Hardwired to Rewired by Quint Studer

From Heart to Head and Back Again… A Journey Through the Healthcare System by Thomas Dahlborg

The Big Kid…And Basketball…And the Lessons He Taught His Father And Coach by Thomas Dahlborg